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2019 Chesterfield-Yorktown, Indiana tornado
|type = EF4 tornado (NWS)|image location = Wedge 4.jpg|image caption = Photo of the tornado between Chesterfield and Daleville.|date = December 2, 2019|times = 1648-1736|touchdown = Southeast Anderson, IN|winds = 200 mph (confirmed) 241 mph (possible)|injuries = 1,386|fatalities = 18|damage = $10 million (2019 USD)|areas = Madison and Delaware Counties, Indiana|tornado season = Tornadoes of 2019 and the Tornado outbreak of December 1-3, 2019}}the '''2019 Chesterfield-Yorktown tornado '''was a violent, very large and long-tracked very high-end EF4 tornado that was part of a larger outbreak which struck the communities of Chesterfield, Daleville and Yorktown in Indiana on December 2, 2019, it touched down on the eastern edge of Anderson in the early afternoon hours, and tracked northeast through Chesterfield and Daleville, decimating most of Chesterfield and causing extensive damage in Daleville, it began to weaken as it approached Yorktown, and would lift as it moved over Yorktown at 1:36 pm. Meteorological history Indiana, which had been battered the previous day by several rounds of tornadic supercells, was preparing for a second day of tornadoes, as the Storm Prediction Center placed the region under a enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms, CAPE levels were indicative of moderate wind shear, and dew points were around 65 degrees that day, making the 5% tornado potential put out by the SPC questionable at least, in the 1630Z outlook, a 10% tornado threat was put out. The outlook did add a potential for significant tornadoes over east central Indiana, and Tornado Watch #862 as put out at 11:56 am as supercells began to develop. It noted the possibility for "Several tornadoes, a few potentially intense and long-tracked". The supercell that would go on to produce the tornado popped up in southern Hamilton County, moving northeast. The first tornado warning of the day was issued for Blackford and Grant counties at 12:39 pm as a funnel cloud was reported by spotters. Spotters confirmed a funnel cloud over the south side of Anderson at 12:45 pm that appeared as if it was trying to reach the ground. The first tornado of December 2 touched down at 12:46 pm and lifted less than a minute later, causing minor roof damage at the abandoned Mounds Mall. The funnel very slowly continued southeast, with the funnel touching back down at 12:48 pm over a Big Lots on the edge of Anderson. The tornado - As the tornado continued east, it intensified into a EF1 at 12:50 pm, and a tornado warning was issued at 12:51 pm, as it entered a pool of instability, it rapidly intensified into a EF3 by 12:53 pm, causing significant damage and 1 death in a small neighborhood on the southeastern side of Anderson. It further intensified into a EF4 wedge tornado by 12:57 pm, at this point nearly the width of Chesterfield itself. A tornado emergency was issued at 12:58 pm in a rare instance of a emergency alert toned severe weather statement for Chesterfield, Daleville, Yorktown and Muncie. The tornado heavily damaged the runways of Anderson Municipal Airport at 1:00 pm, before reaching peak intensity as it entered Chesterfield at 1:02 pm, the tornado showed major signs of potential EF5 intensity at this point, it tore primarily through the populated regions, with the business area of Chesterfield mostly being spared destruction, completely sweeping over 20 houses from their foundations. The tornado continued away from Chesterfield, and over I-69, where traffic was a standstill, throwing several cars, killing 7 people, in addition to the 1 death in Anderson and 6 deaths in Chesterfield. The wedge tornado entered Daleville, which at this point was much more prepared than Chesterfield was for the tornado, at this point the tornado was weakening, struggling to maintain it's EF4 status by 1:14 pm as it moved into Daleville. 4 people were killed when their house was swept from it's foundation, the tornado weakened to a EF3 at 1:16 pm and then to a EF2 at 1:20 pm, it continued northeast into rural Delaware County as a EF2, briefly regaining EF3 intensity from 1:26 to 1:27 pm. As the tornado approached long-tracked status, it weakened to a EF1 on the outskirts of Yorktown, before lifting at 1:36 pm after exactly 20.41 miles, or just .41 miles over long-tracked status. Aftermath - The tornado was originally rated EF5 with winds of 215 mph due to the damage caused in Chesterfield, however, they decided to downgrade it to a EF4 with winds of 195 mph later that month, before upping the wind speed from 195 mph to 200 mph on January 17, 2020. It would become a controversy over the way the National Weather Service in Indianapolis rated the tornado, with the Storm Prediction Center disputing the EF4 rating with it's original 215 mph EF5 rating, President Donald Trump visited those effected in Chesterfield, and Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan would all be declared federal disaster areas, with the governor of Indiana, Eric Holcomb, activating the Indiana National Guard that night after hearing of the mass destruction in Chesterfield, West Lafayette, Warsaw and Wabash from 3 separate EF4 and 1 EF3 tornadoes. Holcomb also requested federal aid due to the mass devastation, which Trump approved. This was the fourth potential F5/EF5 to occur in Madison County, behind the 2018 Tipton, 2007 Anderson, 1956 Alexandria, and the 1907 Orestes tornadoes, of which the 2018 Tipton, 1956 Alexandria and 1907 Orestes tornadoes got permanent EF5 and F5 ratings (respectively). Category:Tornadoes Category:Deadly Tornadoes Category:Catastrophic Tornadoes Category:Costly Tornadoes Category:Violent Tornadoes